Precision agriculture or precision farming is a farming management concept based on observing, measuring and responding to intra and inter-field variability in crops. Precision agriculture strives to optimize field-level management with regarding to crop science, environmental protection and economics. Regarding crop science, precision agriculture allows farmers to match farming practices more closely to crop needs. Regarding environmental protection, precision agriculture allows the reduction of environmental risks and footprint of farming. And, regarding economics, precision agriculture boosts competitiveness through efficient practices.
Precision agriculture provides farmers with information that allows farmers, among other things, to enhance the quality of their farm products, to build up a record of their individual farm; to improve decision-making pertaining to location and variety of crops planted; and to foster greater traceability.
Precision agriculture is a four-stage process using techniques to observe spatial variability including (1) geolocation of data or geolocating a field, (2) characterizing intra and inter-field variability, (3) decision making, and (4) implementing practices to address variability. Stage two, characterizing intra and inter-field variability, may result from a number of factors including climatic conditions, soils, cropping practices, weeds and disease. Numerous soil samples are collected and tested to determine texture, depth and nitrogen levels of the soil, and such information is used by farmers to determine location and type of crop to be planted on each field.
Soil samples are generally collected with a hand probe and bucket, a time consuming process. Also, other forms of automated soil sampling devices are in use, however, all utilize the probe concept.
There is a need for an automatic, continuous soil sampling collection system and method of use, which facilitates the effective and efficient collection of numerous soil samples.